Material breaking shell



Dec. 5, 1950 R. SPENCER MATERIAL BREAKING SHELL Filed Aug. l5, 1946 E m.. 2 w b :Wulf

Patented Dec. 5, 14950 TENT FFICE MATERIAL BREAKING SHELL Russell Spencer, Sullivan, nd., assignor to Cardox Corporation', Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Iliinois Application August 15, 1946, Serial No. 690,767

9 Claims.

This invention relates to a material breaking shell and more particularly to a device of this character Which employs highly compressed gas, such as air, as the material breaking medium.

In a shell of this type an enclosed chamber' is charged With gas under high pressure and this charge is released through a valve controlled discharge orifice. 1t is essential that this valve t tightly upon its seat when the chamber is being charged so that no leakage will occur and so that the chamber may be more quickly brought up to its full working pressure. However, the valve may start to leak because of foreign matter that is deposited upon its seating surfaces and, for the further reason that thc valve tends to seat in the same position each time it is closed and, therefore, will not maintain its seating surfaces ground to a close fit.

In accordance with the invention, means are provided for causing the valve to rotate each time it moves into its closed position. This rotational movement of the valve not only serves to remove any foreign matter that may be deposited on its seating surfaces, but, in addition, causes the valve to seat in a different position each time it is closed.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view through the material breaking shell,

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the valve operating piston, and

Figure 3 is an end view of the piston of Figure 2.

The shell includes a container which is made up of a central hollow body 5, a discharge cap 6 threaded into one end thereof and a control cap 1 threaded into the other end thereof. The shank 6 of the discharge cap is shaped at its inlet end to form the seat 8 for a valve head 9. Through the side wall of the discharge cap 6 are formed a plurality of ports It? for the discharge of the compressed gas. These ports I are preferably rearwardly inclined so that the discharging gas tends to urge the shell deeper into the drill hole into which the shell is located. The forward end of the cap 6 is formed with an opening I! through which the valve stem I2 projects to serve as a guide for the valve.

A supply conduit i4 is threaded into the end of the control cap 1 and this conduit delivers highly compressed gas into the inner cylinder portion I of this cap. Operating Within the cylinder l5 is a piston i6, having a piston rod I1 threaded into the valve head 9. When gas under pressure is delivered through conduit I4, it acts upon the head of piston Iii and forces it in a right-hand direction, as viewed in Fig. l, to force the valve head 9 upon its seat 8.

It is intended that the piston I5 be so tted within its cylinder I5 that the incoming gas can flow therepast and into the chamber within the central body 5. Secured to the inner face of the piston I6, by means of a nut I8 is a cup leather I9. The gas which flows past the piston I6 also flows past this cup leather Is so that the gas can pass into the charge receiving chamber of the body 5.

Between the central body 5 and the control cap 1 is clamped a disc 2l and it is preferable that a sealing gasket 22 be disposed on at least one side of this disc 2|. A hat leather 23 is secured to disc 2| by means of an annular ring 2 and bolts 25. The hat leather 23 ts tightly upon the outer surface of the piston rod l1 to seal against gas leakage.

Between the cup leather I9 and the hat leather 23 is formed a chamber 21. It will be noted that the cup leather I9 and the hat leather 23 are so disposed that the pressure within the chambei' 21 will tend to force these leathers into tight engagement with the cylinder I5 and piston rod I1 respectively, to prevent leakage of gas from this chamber 21 past these leathers during any stage in the operation of the cartridge.

A communication, however, should be provided between the chamber 21 and the charge receiving chamber of the body 5. and, as here shown, this is accomplished by forming a passageway 28 through the piston rod i1. A port 29 from the passageway 28 opens into the chamber 21 and a port 36 opens from the passage- Way 28 into the chamber of body 5.

As an important feature of the invention means are provided to cause the piston to rotate as it is being urged in the direction to position the valve head 9 upon its seat 8. `This means involves the provision of surfaces against which the charging gas will impinge to thereby cause the piston to rotate. These surfaces are, therefore, spirally arranged with respect to the axis of the piston so that the charging gas in flowing past the piston I6 will develop a reactive force which will rotate the piston and thereby the valve head 9.

As here shown, these spiral surfaces against which the charging gas impinges, are formed by flutes 3I which extend the full length of the periphery of the piston I6. These flutes 3i may be of any cross-sectional formation which may be conveniently constructed and they should in;

se oline preferably on the order of about 30 with respect to the piston axis. It will be appreciated that the utes 3| provide the aforementioned t between the piston I6 and its cylinder I5 that allows the gas to flow past the piston I6.

When the shell is being charged by means of the conduit I4 and the gas flows past the piston I6, the movement of the gas through the flutes 3! causes the piston I 6 to rotate. 'The gas continues past the cup leather I9 into the chamber 27 and through the passageway 28 and its ports 29 and 30 into the chamber within body 5. The valve 9 will t tightly upon its seat 8, due to the gas pressure .developed in cylinder I5, and prevent escape Lof this charge of gas because the rotational movement of the valve head 9 will clean the seating surfaces. After the chamber within body 5 has been fully charged, the supply of gas to conduit I4 is cut off and this conduit It i-s vented to exhaust the gas from the cylinder i5. This will remove vthe gas pressure from piston t6 and, asa high .pressure still exists in chamber Zil, the piston will be :moved in a left-hand direction to unseat the valve head 9. The valve head 9 will remain unseated until :the gas has been completely discharged from body 5 because gas will remain under pressure within the chamber '2l for an appreciable length of time :since it can escape only through the restricted passageway 28.

It has been pointed out above that vthe clip leather I9 prevents the escape of gas from the chamber .2l past the piston lat. Consequently, no gas from the chamber 2l will be permitted to 'flow through the u'tes '31, It will be preciated, therefore, that the cup leather :19 functions to prevent rotatie-.n .of the .piston .Ia when the valve head 9 movies away from .its seat 3. y

When the gas within the hollow body 5 drops to atmospheric pressure, the chamber El' will Vbe vented through the passageway '28 so .that .chamber 27 will reach atmospheric pressure. When the next charge of gas is supplied through .condu'it I4, movement .of vthe piston t6 in a righthand direction will not be resisted inasmuch vas no pressure lthen will exist in chamber '27A'.

Having thus describedthe invention, 1 claim:

1. A material :breaking shell cemprising a cen-- tainer having :a chamber to receive -a 'lfiigh pressur-e gaseous charge and :having a Adischarge orice therefrom, :a valve means for closing said oriiice, a valve operating means having a connection to said valve means :to control iposition, said ycontainer having an kinlet 'fer connection to a source :of charging gas, lsaid valve operating means including means acted upon `by the ilow of charging gas into fsaid chamber from said inlet for 4causing rotation of the valve means as it moves toward said orifice, and means yto prevent rotation of said valve means as "it moves away from said oriiice.

2. A material breaking shell comprising a container having a chamber to rece-ive ya high pressure gaseous charge and having a discharge or-iice therefrom, a valve means for closing said orice, a valve operating means having a conriectionY to said valve means to control its position, said container having an inlet for con-nection to a source -of charging gas, said inlet being on the opposite side Aof said valve operati-ng means from said Vchamber so that the charging gas Vflows past said valve `operating means into said chamber, said valve operating means including means in the path of the `flow of charg- 4 ing gas into said chamber to be acted upon by the charging iiow of gas and thereby cause rotation of the valve means as it moves toward said orifice, and means to prevent rotation of said valve means as it moves away from said orice.

3. A material breaking shell comprising a container having a chamber to receive a high pressure ygaseous charge and having a discharge oriice therefrom, a valve means for closing said orifice, a valve operating means having a connec- .tion to said valve means to control its position, said valve operating means including means in the path of 'the iiow of charging gas into said chamber for causing rotation of the valve means as it moves toward said orice, and means to prevent rotation of said valve means as it moves away from said orii'ce.

4. A material breaking shell comprising a container having a chamber to receive a high pressure gaseous charge and having ya discharge orice adjacent :one end thereof and inlet means adjacent the other end, a valve means for cloising said orifice, a valve operating means disposed between said inlet means and said chamber and past which the incoming gas mus-t flow to charge the chamber, said valve operating means including surfaces inclined to its axis and against which the charging gas :impinges to cause rotation cf the valve operating means, said valve operating 4means being connected to and Serving to rotate said valve `means as it moves toward said orifice, and means to prevent rotation `:of said valve means as it moves .away vfrom .said orifice. Y

5. A material breaking shell Ac orriprising .acontainer having a chamber to receive a 'high vpressure charge and having `a discharge oiiiice adjacent one end of the container, said container having ani-nlet at its opposite end, a valve .means for closing said oriiice, a piston connected to said valve means to urge Iit toward said oriiice, said piston ybeing located between said inlet and said chamber so that the Aincoming gas ows past :the piston in charging the chamber, :said piston including means to be acted upon vby the incoming gas `for rotating the piston and thereby rotating the valve means as it moves toward said seat, and means to prevent rotation .of said valve means as it moves away from said orifice.

6. A material vbreak-ing shell comprising a container having a chamber to receive a high pressure charge and having va discharge orice adjacent one end of the container, said container having an inlet at its opposite end, a valve means for closing said orifice, a piston connected to said valve vmeans to :urge it toward said orifice, said piston being located between said inlet and said chamber so that the incoming gas iiows pas-t the piston in charging the chamber, said piston having 'longitudinal vi'iutes along its surface and at an angle to its aXis, the `ilow of gas through said flutes in charging said chamber, serving to rotate said piston and to thereby rotate said valve means as it moves toward said orifice, and means to prevent rotation of said valve means as it moves away from said orifice.

7. A material breaking shell comprising a container having a chamber to receive a high pres- Sure iiuid charge and having a cylinder, said container having a discharge orice and an inlet into said cylinder, a` valve means for closing said orifice, a piston in said cylinder between said inlet and said chamber to operate said valve means, said piston having fluid conducting passageways to pass uid from said inlet side to the other side, said passageways being disposed at an angle to the axis of the piston to cause rotation of the piston and thereby rotate the valve means, and means to prevent rotation of said valve means as it moves away from said orice.

8. A material breaking shell comprising a container having a chamber to receive a high pressure gaseous charge and having an internal cylinder, a partition between said chamber and cylinder, said chamber having a discharge orice therefrom, a valve means for closing said orice, a piston operable in said cylinder and having a connection extending through said partition to said valve means to actuate the valve means, said chamber having a restricted communication with said cylinder, said cylinder having an inlet to deliver gas under pressure on the side of the piston to thereby urge the valve i means to closed position. said piston having passageways lengthwise therealong presenting angularly'disposed surfaces against which the delivered gas impinges to thereby rotate the piston and the valve means, the gas, after flowing through said passageways, flowing through said restricted communication and into said chamber, and means to prevent rotation of said valve means as it moves away from said orice.

9. A material breaking shell comprising a container having a chamber to receive a high pressure gaseous charge and having an internal cylinder, a partition between said chamber and cylinder, said chamber having a discharge oriflce therefrom, a valve means for closing said orice, a piston operable in said cylinder and having a connection extending through said partition to said valve means to actuate the valve means, said chamber having a restricted cornmunication with said cylinder, said cylinder having an inlet to deliver gas under pressure on the side of the piston to thereby urge the valve means to closed position, said piston having angularly disposed, generally lengthwise flutes in its periphery to permit the delivered gas to flow past the piston and through said restricted communication into said chamber, the flow of gas through said flutes serving to rotate said piston and thereby rotate said' valve means,V and means to prevent rotation of said valve means as it moves away from said orifice.

' RUSSELL SPENCER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 799,732 Harsen Sept. 19, 1905 2,077,716 Sandlin Apr, 20, 1937 2,083,584 Wineman June l5, 1937 2,083,739 Osgood June 15, 1937 2,083,976 Armstrong June l5, 1937 2,083,980 Armstrong June l5, 1937 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 434,005 Great Britain Aug. 23, 1935 

